Fastening device for mail-bags



(No Mddel.)

- L. RUSSELL.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR} MAIL BAGS, TRUNKS, &o. No. 375,684.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER RUSSELL, OF EVART, MICHIGAN.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR MAIL-BAGS, TRUNKS, 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,684, dated December 27, 1887.

Application filed October 29, 1887. Serial No. 253,726. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I. LUTHER RUssELL, a citizen of the United States, and. a resident of Evart, in the county of Osceola and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usevful Improvements in Fastening Devices for pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a perspective view of the upper part of a mail-bag the mouth of which is locked with my new and improved fastening device or lock. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the fastener or fastening device. Fig. 3 is a see tional view of the spring-lock. Fig. 4. is a detail view of the key for the same, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of a slightly-different form of my invention.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in a new and improved fastening device for mail-bags, and also for trunks, valises, satchels, 850., and my invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates a mail-bag of the usual construction, the upper end portion only of which is here shown, showing my new and improved fastening device secured thereto in its operative position.

B indicates the mouth of the mail-bag.

To the inner side of one portion or lip, O, of the mouth of the bag is secured the strip D, having secured in it the series of staples D, as shown; or this series of staples can be secured to the said lip or portion in any suitable manner.

E and F indicate the two lockingplates, which may be distinguished as the base-plate or stationary plate E and the sliding plate F for convenience of reference. This stationary plate E, when constructed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is formed with the series of transverse slots G, formed at such distances apart that the series of staples D will pass readilythrough them, and the longitudinal edges of this stationary plate E are bent up and over to form inwardly-projecting flanges I I, in which the longitudinal edges of the locking-plate proper, F, slide, and which serve to retain the said plate F in position. The other lip or portion, 0, of the mouth of the bag is also formed with the series of slots through which the staples D, which are secured to the other lip or portion 0, pass when the lips of the sack or bag are brought together to close and lock the bag.

The stationary plate E can be riveted or otherwise secured to this lip O on the outerside thereof, with'its transverse slots G registering with the series of slots in the lip C, so that the staples D will pass through the two registering slots; or, if preferred, this. plateE need not be secured at all to the lip 0, but may be left perfectly free,t0 be placed in position against the lip G when the bag is to be locked, and when the bag is unlocked can be removed with the rest of the device-the locking-plate F and the spring-padlockhereinafter described.

The locking-plate F, when constructed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, consists of a fiat metal plate, in which are cut or punched the series of openings K, so as to leave in each opening the forwardly-projecting tongue L, between the forward free end of which and the forward side of its respective opening K a space is left as wide as,or slightly wider than, the corresponding slots, G, of the stationary plate E. Both of the plates E and F are preferably formed of spring saw-steel, so that if either plate is bent when locking or unlocking it will spring back to its original shape. The sliding plate F fits on the outside of the stationary plate E,with its longitudinal side edges fitting and sliding in the ways formed by the inwardly-bent flanges I I. the two plates being of the same length. \Vhen the locking-plate F is slid back over the stationary plate E so that the forward side of its openings K registers with the forward side of the slots G of the stationary plate E, the forward free ends of the tongues L will be just back of (or may just register with) the rear edges of the said slots G in the stationary plate E, thus leaving clear spaces for the passage through both plates of the staples D.

ICO

It will now be seen that when the mail-bag is to be locked, by pushing back the outer locking-plate, F, as above stated, when the lips of the mouthof the bag are brought together, the series of staples D of the lip O will pass through the slots J of the other lip, G, and through the slots of both the sta tionary and sliding plates E and F. The device is then locked by drawing the outer plate, F, to the right, so that the tongues L will pass through the several staples D, as shown in Fig.1 of the drawings,thus securely, readily, and tightly locking the lips of the mouth of the mail-bag together. The forward or right-hand end of the sliding plate F is formed or provided with the locking-head M, of the shape of an arrow-head, as shown.

- Nindicates the spring-padlock, the casing of which is of substantially the form shown, its inner end, 0, being flat or straight and formed with the opening 1?, through which the lockinghead M of the plate F enters the padlock. Within this casing are secured at their rear ends the two opposite spring-arms, Q Q, the free ends of which are formed with the locking jaws or heads R It. These lockingjaws R are beveled inward on their forward sides, S, and have the straight inner sides, T; and it will be seen that when the padlock is placed on the end of the plate F, by pushing its slotted rear or inner end, 0, over the locking-head M of the plate F, the said beveled arrow-head M will press with its beveled or inclined forward sides against the beveled forward sides of the heads R R and force the said heads R R apart until the locking-head M passes between and back of the jaws B, when the tension of the spring-arms Q Q will throw the said heads R R back into their normal positions, thus locking the padlock securely on the end of the locking-plate F,with the square inner end, 0, of the padlock-casing bearing squarely against the right-hand end of both the plates E and F, by which means the mouth of the mail-bag will be securely locked in its closed position,as it will be impossible to move or slide the outer locking-plate, F, back to the left to free its tongues from the staples D of the other lip until the padlock has been removed.

The padlock is unlocked by means of a key, U, which is inserted through a key-hole in one side of the lock, the head of this key being formed with the central recess, NV, and the wards X X on each side thereof, so that when the key has been inserted and is turned it will force the spring-arms Q Q apart and open the jaws R R to permit the locking-head M of the plate F to be withdrawn from the padlock.

Instead of constructing the plates E and F as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and employing the series of staples D, Ican substitute for the sta ples a series of studs or buttons, A, secured to the lip O, and construct the plates E and F as follows: The lower plate, E, is provided with the rows of smaller studs or buttons 13 B at each edge, dispensing with the flanges I I, and between these rows of buttons are circular apertures J, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, through which the studs A project, and the sliding plate F is constructed with a series of slots,E E, near each longitudinal cdge,through which the edge studsB pass, and with aseries of larger slots,F, along its central part,through which the studs A from the other lip, 0, pass. The slots E and F of the sliding plate F are formed at their lower and upper forward edges with semicircular recesses H, so as to allow the heads of the studs A and B to be withdrawn and the bag to be opened after the plate F has been slid back. This slightly-different form of my locking device is shown in Fig. 5, and its construct-ion and operation will be readily understood, as it is substantially the same construction and operates in the same manner as the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and above described, the sliding plate F looking on the studs when moved to the right, and having the same arrow-head at its end on which the spring-padlock is secured.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood.

It will be seen that my new and improved fastening device is simple and strong in construction, easy to lock and unlock, and exceedingly safe and efficient in use. The fastening device is designed not only for mail-bags, but also for trunks, satchels, valises, 850.

The stationary plate E should be hinged to the lid of the trunk, and the staples or studs arranged in the front of the box thereof, or the device may be secured in any suitable manner to the trunk, satchel, or valise.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a locking device for mail-bags, the combination of staples projecting through holes in the flaps of the bag, a stationary plate secured to one of the said flaps and formed with a series of slots, a plate sliding thereon formed with openings forming tongues and having a locking-head at one end, and a lock adapted to engage said loekinghead, substantially as set forth.

2. In a locking device for mail-bags, the combination of staples projecting through holes in the flaps of the bag, a stationary plate secured to one of the said flaps and formed with a series of slots, and with guide-flanges, a plate sliding upon said stationary plate and formed with openings forming tongues, and having a locking-head at one end, and a padlock adapted to engage said locking-head, substantially as set forth.

3. In a locking device for mail bags, the combination of a plate having staples which project through holes in the flaps of the bag, a stationary slotted plate secured to one of said flaps, and having guide-flanges, a plate sliding upon said stationary plate and formed with openings forming tongues, and having a locking-head at one end, and a padlock adapted to engage'said locking-head, substantially as set forth. I

4. In a locking device for mail bags, the combination of a plate having staples which project through holes in the flaps of the bag, a stationary slotted plate secured to one of said flaps and having guide-flanges, a plate sliding upon the said stationary plate and formed with openings forming tongues, and provided at one end with an arrow-shaped locking-head and the padlock having the straight slotted end, and the spring-arms provided with the I 5 beveled end jaws adapted to engage said arrow-shaped locking-head, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in 20 presence of two witnesses.

LUTHER RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

O. O. TRUMBULL, JOSEPH SAYLES. 

